I was diagnosed with severe ADHD a couple of months ago, and only tonight did I start to wonder what the 'severe' meant. I just made an assumption that I had more of the ADHD traits than a person with mild or moderate ADHD would have, but now I'm wondering.
I've tried researching on the web the difference between ADHD and severe ADHD, but to no avail. Something struck me tonight that brought up in my mind that 'severe' might mean something else - that my ADHD traits are more intense, not more of them per say, but severely intense. I wondered this because I've been noticing that other AD/HDers don't seem to be lost in such a crippling fog as I am. They seem much more able to function than me. I assumed that we all felt the same degree of confusion, forgetfulness, inability to concentrate and listen, speak coherently, etc. But now I am starting to think that 'severe' might mean I have MORE fog in my brain. It is REALLY HARD for me to function. Not just inconveniently or irritatingly, but nearly impossible. Does anyone know the definition of Severe ADHD as opposed to ADHD?

From the information we have gotten over the years I would say that the population of people with ADHD would fall on a bell curve, if plotted. That means that some are so mild that it barely is noticable, a great portion falls somewhere in the middle, and on the other end are "severe" cases.

I think you are right, that it simply means you have a "worse" case...more symptoms, greater intensity of disruption. I have 2 sons - one "severe" ADHD, one inattentive ADD. The severe is really bad...without medications you simply cannot find a way to communicate with him....you can't connect. The inattentive is mild and he has found ways (instinctively) of coping with the slight disturbances. We watch him closely so that if he ever does need more help we can jump in, but he does well.

I, too am ADHD, and would put myself in the middle somewhere. I had lots and lots of problems, but have managed until recently to have a decent life in spite of it. However, it did become too much and I have since chosen to try medications. Whether it is temporary or permanent remains to be seen, but they have helped enormously.

Hope this helps.

Kim

Thank you Kimalimah,
You did explain a lot to me. So is it that the symptoms the severe ADHDer has are more bothersome (intensified)? AND that they can have more symptoms than non severe ADDers too? I guess I'm really finding out how much I don't know about it tonight...do all AD/HDers have the same symptoms? Or can they differ widely? Say...can an AD/HDer not have memory problems? Or do we ALL have that?
Second; having severe ADHD, does that mean I will never get as close to normal as one with a milder case? What are my chances for getting so much relief from my symptoms that I could function in settings like going to college? Or never having problems with distraction, listening, speaking, etc., again? Is your son that has the severe case relieved of his symptoms so much that he can function well at school and socially? Does your ADHD medicine give you full relief? What med do you take? What med does your severe ADHD son take?
Sorry, I have so many questions. I want to get better so bad. Thank you so much for responding.

From the information we have gotten over the years I would say that the population of people with ADHD would fall on a bell curve, if plotted. That means that some are so mild that it barely is noticable, a great portion falls somewhere in the middle, and on the other end are "severe" cases.

I think you are right, that it simply means you have a "worse" case...more symptoms, greater intensity of disruption. I have 2 sons - one "severe" ADHD, one inattentive ADD. The severe is really bad...without medications you simply cannot find a way to communicate with him....you can't connect. The inattentive is mild and he has found ways (instinctively) of coping with the slight disturbances. We watch him closely so that if he ever does need more help we can jump in, but he does well.

I, too am ADHD, and would put myself in the middle somewhere. I had lots and lots of problems, but have managed until recently to have a decent life in spite of it. However, it did become too much and I have since chosen to try medications. Whether it is temporary or permanent remains to be seen, but they have helped enormously.

Hope this helps.

Kim

I think that the message here is that if you have a more "severe case" of this condition is becomes more important to make the right life choices from an early
age. Finding a career path that maximizes your strengths is critical because you may
have a narrower path to follow. This process of self discovery can becomes an opportunity.

Here is where I am on the scale ( very subjective ) :
I would say my "condition" is somewhere in the middle and would describe my
experience as "living in a fog" with a sort of "paralytic state of rumination" ( a great
term from the book "Answers to Distractions" and the accompanied pervasive anxiety. For me taking adderall alleviates the anxiety greatly and helps with verbal communication - especially in job environments. The reality is, is that this condition will not go away because i believe it is organic in nature not behavioral. - but I can
at least work on the behaviroal issues and make the right life choices. Also I am
48 years old.

Hope some of this is Helpfull....

Sure, it's helpful....'cause now I know I'm DOOMED! --LOL!
>> if you have a more "severe case" of this condition is becomes more >>important to make the right life choices from an early
>>age.
I am 40 years old, and only found out a couple of months ago that I have ADHD. Too late for preparing for life early on! LMBO
I know the condition won't ever go away, but some people speak of such great results they've gotten on the meds that I wonder if the condition can be controlled to a degree that it's barely perceivable to others, especially severe ADHD. You know though...I've been so 'ditzy' all my life, taking just half of that away would amaze and astound people who know me. I was really hoping to take a lot more than half away, and maybe I won't even get that much relief, but I better start developing the attitude that I'll take what I can get.
You said I can work on behavioral issues, do you mean like interrupting? Because I may be able to control that with hard work, but I can't think right now of any other symptoms I could ever have control over. I write notes for everything I have to do. I have a daily planner I use daily, and post it notes I put the same things on. I set alarms when it's almost time to go do something. Still, I somehow don't manage to remember to do some of those things. How is that possible? you ask? Well...I check my daily planner several times a day, I'm a little OCD about it. I'll check it over and over again even if the first time I looked it said I have nothing to do that day. I'll think, "Maybe I read it wrong" LOL So there's no question that I'll check my planner daily...too many times, and see the errand I need to do. Then I'll for sure sit at my computer every day and my monitor has colorful post-it notes all over the edges of it constantly reminding me of my To Do's. I set my cell phone alarm to go off 10 minutes before it's time to go. So all day I'll keep checking the planner, seeing the errand, spotting the Post-It that reminds me of the errand, my phone alarm will go off and I'll remember the errand, I'll get up to get ready to go....and get distracted by something shiny and TOTALLY FORGET until it's too late. I also have children at home who are very well skilled at distracting me :D They don't do it on purpose, but I can only hold one thing in my head at a time, and only for 3.25 seconds at the most. ;) I'm making light of it, but this really happens to me. Anyway, now I'm rambling. Thanks for replying :D

I think that the message here is that if you have a more "severe case" of this condition is becomes more important to make the right life choices from an early
age. Finding a career path that maximizes your strengths is critical because you may
have a narrower path to follow. This process of self discovery can becomes an opportunity.

Here is where I am on the scale ( very subjective ) :
I would say my "condition" is somewhere in the middle and would describe my
experience as "living in a fog" with a sort of "paralytic state of rumination" ( a great
term from the book "Answers to Distractions" and the accompanied pervasive anxiety. For me taking adderall alleviates the anxiety greatly and helps with verbal communication - especially in job environments. The reality is, is that this condition will not go away because i believe it is organic in nature not behavioral. - but I can
at least work on the behaviroal issues and make the right life choices. Also I am
48 years old.

Hope some of this is Helpfull....

It means you are wicked cool, and should recieve awards and accolades for being so darn entertaining and fun to be around. :-)

In addition to that it means the traits that often make life harder for us are very pronounced in you. I know they are in me. It isn't a reason to feel hopeless though. We are talking about being different here, not broken. Being more intensely different doesn't make you broken either. It does mean it can be difficult to adapt though. I know that from first hand experience. Still a doable job though. :-)

QUOTE=E-boy]It means you are wicked cool, and should recieve awards and accolades for being so darn entertaining and fun to be around. :-)

Wicked cool? Entertaining? Omg! I LOVE this man!!!!
I still must question the 'different not broken' statement though, for as marvy as I am in other areas, I still have the massive amount of fog in my head that makes is awful debilitating. Seems like a legitimate handicap. Where's my handicap sticker?! LOL
You know Dan, I've still not touched my art supplies. I really should go back to them. I've realized that the reason I haven't is because I'm afraid I'll find I've lost my talent. No one wants to find that out. Maybe tomorrow I won't take Adderall and let my creativity - which can easily slip through the fog - come through. I know once I start drawing again I'll love it and not stop.
As always you say the nicest things to me Dan. You are my rock. My big snuggly rock. :D

Susan

In addition to that it means the traits that often make life harder for us are very pronounced in you. I know they are in me. It isn't a reason to feel hopeless though. We are talking about being different here, not broken. Being more intensely different doesn't make you broken either. It does mean it can be difficult to adapt though. I know that from first hand experience. Still a doable job though. :-)[/QUOTE]

two love birds sitting on the tree.....K.I.S.S.I.N.G........................

I wanted to comment about how ADD looks different in different people. My family is an interesting study in human ADD behavior :) I was just recently dx'd. I would say I am a littlle more on the hyperactive/impulsive side with some spacey, inattentiveness thrown in. I have an adult step son who also was recently dx'd w/ ADD. He is my exact opposite. Where I am hyper he is laid back. I am emotional, he is more subdued. I am prone to work-a-holic-ness and he is steady eddy but always he's someone to tell him the next step.


Its really very interesting to think that we can be so different and alike at the same time. I wanted to make this point because my unprofessional opinion would be that it would be hard to guage one's ADD against someone else because there is so many different variables. Even just using coping skills wouldn't be a fair way to access because we learn coping skills from our environment and if we were raised with good coping skills that would be an advantage to someone with ADD. If you were modeled poor coping skills than that would compound the ADD. I don't think you can seperate out all the different variables to determine what comes from ADD and what comes from ohter sources.

I wasnt told of the severity of add that i have..nor did i knew of any way to measure add..but i can feel it in my bones esp.the empty skull that i have..to know that am stuffed with pleanty of add..

ADD justs keeps adding itself to my bones with every passing year.

Nachi